Superstar Doyeong Kim highlights Korea WBSC Premier12 roster

World No. 6 Korea announced their roster for the WBSC Premier12 2024 presented by RAXUS. Manager Joong-Il Ryu selected 28 players under contract with Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) league clubs.

The most celebrated star would be Kia Tigers third baseman Do-Yeong Kim, a WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup star who became, at 21, the youngest player to enjoy a 30-home run and 30-stolen base season. He hit 38 home runs and stole 40 bases for the Kia Tigers in the 2024 KBO season.

Pitchers Been Gwak and Youngha Lee are WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup alumni. Gwak represented Korea at the World Baseball Classic 2023, while Lee played in the WBSC Premier12 2019.

Also, pitchers Seohyeon Kim and Hyeongjun So and outfielders Wonjun Choi and Juhyeong Lee played in the U-18 World Cup.

The full roster is below:

PITCHERS (14) Seungtong Choi (Doosan Bears), Been Gwak (Doosan Bears), Chan Kyu Im (LG Twins), Byeonghyeon Jo (SSG Landers), Hai Young Jung (Kia Tigers), Seohyeon Kim (Hanwha Eagles), Taekyeon Kim (Doosan Bears), Youngpyo Ko (KT Wiz), Dogyu Kwak (Kia Tigers), Youngha Lee (Doosan Bears), Yeonghyun Park (KT Wiz), Hyeongjun So (KT Wiz), Ji Min Choi (Kia Tigers), Yeongchan You (LG Twins).

CATCHERS (2) Hyungjun Kim (NC Dinos), Dongwon Park (LG Twins),

INFIELDERS (8) Doyeong Kim (Kia Tigers), Wheejip Kim (NC Dinos), Yuwon Kim (Samsung Lions), Bohyeong Moon (LG Twins), Seungyeup Na (Lotte Giants), Seonghan Park (SSG Landers), Minjae Shin (LG Twins), Sungmun Song (Kiwoom Heroes).

OUTFIELDERS (4) Wonjun Choi (Kia Tigers), Changki Hong (LG Twins), Juhyeong Lee (Kiwoom Heroes), Donghee Yoon (Lotte Giants).

Ryu and his pitching coach, Il-Eon Choi, decided to go with a four-man rotation and strengthen the bullpen. Hai-Young Jung had 31 saves for the Kia Tigers in 2024, and also Yeong-Chan You (26 saves), Yeong-Hyun Park (25), Taek-Yeon Kim (19), and Byeong-Hyeon Jo (12) are established KBO closers.

Been Gwak, Chan-Kyu Im, Young-Pyo Ko and Hyeong-Jun So appear as the projected starters.

"The pitching staff looks very strong," commented manager Ryu. This is a young team; we may lack experience. Since the Hangzhou Asian Games, I have been organizing and leading the team to develop young players. My goal is to give these young players more experience and build their confidence on the international stage so that they can be the mainstays of the 2026 WBC and 2028 LA Olympics."

Ryu's coaching staff also includes Jong-Hoon Chang, Ki-Moon Choi, Hyun-Uk Kim, Jae-Gul Kim, andJi-Hyun Ryu.

Korea will compete in Group B from November 13 to 18, facing No.1 Japan, No. 2 (tied with Mexico) Chinese Taipei, No. 9 Cuba, No. 12 Dominican Republic, and No. 15 Australia.

The WBSC Premier12 will open with Group A action on November 9 in Guadalajara and Tepic, Mexico. The hosts and world No. 2 Mexico will face No. 4 Venezuela, No. 5 USA, No. 7 Netherlands, No. 8 Puerto Rico and No. 10 Panama.